Good to know re: Conrads. I noticed in Europe that I couldn't get AAA at Hiltons (Marriott I can get AAA), but I could in Canada. Does Europe have a AAA? I think Canada has their version of our AAA.
And I'm lucky I hadn't started drinking my tea yet when reading
cordelli's version of being able to pass for a clown but not a lesbian cuz tea would have been all over my computer monitor
I agree w/ the look everywhere concept & keep checking back. Sorry to use a Marriott example but you'll get the drift (and it's similar kind of to
cordelli's visit nyc one).
Headed to LHR for a MR (land Sat/back Sun). Given the exchange rate wanted the cheapest Marriott property I could find. Started plugging in PAR codes (London area, Marriott elite member, weekend, yada yada). Type in PKG (package) - up comes park-n-fly, honeymoon, & crp wkend rate - well the corp weekend rate was 47GBP - bingo. That's the one for me. But which corp? So I call the Plat line & ask - they check their records & say - it doesn't say any corp name - so if you have a biz card you should be fine. Ok, book that for me. When I got the email confirmation it said LPR (which meant local promotion rate). Now, since I was still a bit leery (the Ren LHR is the only hotel that's asked me for my AAA card) of it really working & because I was arriving at 7am (long before cancel time), I decided to keep my AAA res of 55GPB & the the corp weekend rate. That way if I got bounced from that I'd have the AAA as back-up. Got to hotel - passed along the conf # for the CWR - no problem. Cancelled at front desk the AAA rate.
So - my point like cordelli's - is check all avenues. The pain in the butt thing about Hilton (at least online & especially using #s vs letters) is they don't make it easy to find (short of checking magazines, hearing about it from others, etc) even publicly available rates. Again, I cannot believe that Marriott is the only chain that offers PARs. Or if they are we should all switch to Marriott
For those who want to use or feel free to post corp codes do so, & definitely if you have some PARs please post those. I 'think' when you book a ressie & you get the email confirmation it has the actual code vs just written verbiage, but that might have changed in the past year or so. I'm trying to remember from my F50 & F500 corp days.
Given that Hilton's website loads so slowly I do most of my booking via the 800# now - and take up a res agent's time w/ "is AAA available, is there a weekend special, does xxx corp (my client) have a rate w/ you, is there a stand on your head & wiggle your nose, or sorry we wasted your time by not posting your points but we'll make it up to you by offering this great discount special" rate?
I definitely agree w/
cordelli on checking back. Also that if you got a lower rate one time for some special thing (Visit NYC) to ask for it again. I had a similar thing happen (well, wasn't closing on a house) but called & they offered me a much higher rate - when I asked about the special rate I'd stayed at before they said oh sure it's available & booked it - but it wasn't like they offered it up front to me. And like him I go back periodically at hotels I'm booked at to see if the rate has dropped & if so, book the lower rate (don't cancel the first ressie until after the 2nd is booked).
Cheers.